Well, since posting this, I have discovered that a closer, (much) cheaper school is actually doing a really good job and could be a good option. We wouldn't have to move or bite our nails worrying about financial aid. Dd studied their website and was impressed, so we're going to pursue that and see what happens. The elite school is still a dream, but it's more my dream, so if I don't project that onto my kid she'll probably be fine!

Life Is A Highway The Sign (Ace of Base) I'll Be There For You (The Rembrandts) I'm Your Baby Tonight(Whitney Houston) Breakfast At Tiffany's Hold On (Wilson Phillips) Blaze of Glory (Bon Jovi) Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice) Promise of a New Day (Paula Abdul) Baby Baby (Amy Grant) I'm Too Sexy (Right Said Fred) Jump (Kriss Kross) Waterfalls (TLC) Always Be My Baby (Mariah Carey) One Week (Barenaked Ladies) Baby One More Time (Britney Spears) Believe (Cher) Livin' La Vida Loca (Ricky Martin) Genie In a Bottle (Christina Aguilera) Smooth (Santana)

She will have to take the ISEE for middle school. She is a good test-taker and I think she'll probably do well after a few practice tests to get her familiar with the format and the language of the test. Prepping is going to be her summer project.

Moving is a very strong possibility.

I've decided I need to "swing for the fences" and try to get my oldest into the city's top private school. I think it would be the perfect place for her and I'll never forgive myself if I don't try. Is there a forum like this for straightforward discussion about private school admissions? Especially in the area of financial aid? I read the school's stats that 30% of their students in our income bracket get financial aid, so it's not impossible.

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You're right, I should have been more careful. Thanks for clarifying.

There are some huge differences, some of them foundational to how individuals view their relationship to God. Typical American evangelicalism: Children are born innocent. At some unspecified age, depending on their maturity and intellect, the child becomes aware that they sin and need forgiveness. They are encouraged to ask Jesus into their hearts and become saved. Then they get baptized to show their obedience to Christ. Catholic/Orthodox/Lutheran: Everyone is born sinful in need of a Savior. Parents bring their children to baptism soon after birth. God works through the baptism ceremony to mark the child as a Christian and work forgiveness of sins. No age of accountability. No sinner's prayer needed in the future. just raise the child in the faith. So switching from one to the other makes a huge difference in how one approaches religious instruction to children, for starters.

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My First Piano Adventures by Faber.

Pretty sure I only saw that one at my mom's insistence. Ugh.

The OP's dh reminds me of my father. He wanted me to read books about computers. He bought me a whole Time-Life series about them and begged me to read them. And he wanted me to read the front page news in the paper instead of comics and Ann Landers and Mike Royko.

Happy to know I'm not alone in my love for the 1994 movie. I remember seeing it for the first time, it was magical. I was so excited to show it to my oldest dd, since she had read all the books multiple times. Unfortunately she cried and was miserable afterward, because seeing the movie had destroyed her own images of what she thought the characters looked like. She had to go back and re-read and listen copiously to the audiobook in order to erase the movie from her mind. I was afraid she would never watch a movie adaptation again, but then Harry Potter came along and there have been no problems!

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I would let him add whatever he wants as long as he maintains the appropriate amount of practice on his primary instrument.

I'm about to go on a long flight and I want some good games for my phone. I don't mind buying a game if it's not then going to require in-app purchases or for me to recruit more players. I really enjoyed China Wall, the original Angry Birds, and Bubble Witch before it became impossible to play more than 5 minutes at a time. Cut the Rope got too frustrating. Any suggestions?

I feel bad for this one kid I know who for at least the past 2 Christmases has been in real doubt about Santa's existence, but she keeps believing because in her words "I know my parents would never lie to me." Those parents have some fun times ahead of them, yikes.

If your musician kids have taken RCM exams, how long does it usually take to get results? Will the results be online?

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My kid kept saying about Finn, "That is a very nervous man." LOL!